Iowa State Patrol: Cedar Rapids Man on Motorcycle Leads Troopers on 152 MPH Chase on Fourth of July

A Cedar Rapids man faces charges of driving while barred habitual offender and eluding after he led Iowa State Patrol officers on a high speed chase that dipped into Iowa City then back out again on the Fourth of July.

According to criminal complaints from the Iowa State Patrol, at 3:43 p.m. on Wednesday a man on a motorcycle heading south on Highway 218 was clocked by an Iowa State Patrol aircraft as going 95 mph in a 65 mph zone near the 93 mile marker.

The fully marked state patrol vehicle turned on its lights and began pursuit, according to the complaint. The driver of the motorcycle, later identified as Travis Hostetler, 18, of Cedar Rapids, exited onto Melrose Avenue allegedly blowing through a red light, accelerating, and pulling a U-turn back onto Highway 218 heading north.

On Highway 218 with patrol vehicles in pursuiit, Hostetler allegedly accelerated even more, and was clocked at 152 mph by the Iowa State Patrol plane before he slowed to weave through cars at the Interstate 80 / Interstate 380 construction area. At this point, Hostetler reportedly collided with a fully marked Iowa State Patrol Car with lights flashing that had been itself slowing to warn motorists of the upcoming pursuit, according to the complaint.

According to the Johnson County Jail, Hostetler has made his appearance before a judge but his bail information was not yet available.